Lee Westwood Leads by One Point
From Allan Kelly in Augusta, Georgia
Phil Mickelson unleashed back-to-back eagles in the third round of the Masters to all-but reel in runaway leader Lee Westwood and set up a thrilling finale at Augusta National.
The world No.1 retains hope despite a disappointing third round. The 39-year-old American’s two masterstrokes en route to a five-under-par 67 were the crown jewels on a day of breathtaking shot-making that electrified the patrons at Augusta.
When the dust settled, Westwood led the tournament at 12-under-par 204, after carding a 68, with Mickelson one back.
Tiger Woods, meanwhile, saw his campaign for a fifth Green Jacket and a 15th Major title lose momentum as he carded a 70 that left him tied for third, four strokes off the lead, with playing partner K.J. Choi.
Woods was at odds with his game and cursing himself for most of the day.
He started brightly with a five-metre putt for birdie at the 1st hole, and he followed up with an six-metre putt at the 3rd hole to get to eight-under. But he dropped a shot at the 4th hole, where he pulled his tee-shot into the left-hand bunker.
And he lost his composure at the 6th hole, where he cried “Tiger Woods – you suck – goddamn it!” despite having pledged to clean up his on-course behaviour in the wake of his humiliating sex scandal.
He then over-cooked his uphill seven-metre putt and missed the four-metre putt back for another bogey to drop to six-under, four shots off the lead.
Worse was to follow at the 7th hole, where his errant tee shot had him grimacing and a three-putt meant he had carded three bogeys in four holes.
Woods steadied his ship down the back nine, though, and three birdies in a row from the 13th hole and a closing birdie at the 18th salvaged his round and kept alive his hopes alive of matching Ben Hogan’s feat of winning the Masters in his season opener.
Westwood, the No.1-ranked player on the PGA European Tour, was coasting four shots clear of playing partner Ian Poulter, and five ahead of Mickelson, as he walked off the 10th green.
But the 39-year-old American then produced two moments of Masters magic.
He first sunk a two-metre putt to grab his second eagle of the tournament at the par-five 13th hole, the last of the three holes around Amen Corner.
Minutes later, he lit up Augusta National by holing his 127-metre second shot at the tough, par-four 14th hole. Only twice in Masters history had a player carded back-to-back eagles, and Westwood promptly dropped a shot at the par-three 12th hole to gift Mickelson a share of the lead at 11-under.
Mickelson then went within centimetres of an unprecedented third consecutive eagles when his pitch to the par-five 15th hole came up short, but he tapped in to lead the tournament at 12-under.
Westwood was clearly rattled, and he overhit his approach to the 13th hole before managing to save par.
Crowd favourite Fred Couples joined in the fun when he birdied the 14th hole and eagled the 15th to claim third place at eight-under. Couples, however, dropped a shot at the 18th to be fifth at seven-under.
Mickelson then bogeyed the 17th hole and Westwood birdied the 15th as the lead changed hands a final time.
Westwood said that he had not been affected by the huge roars that swept over Augusta when Mickelson made his eagles.


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